March 17-19 2025
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara
by the
CONNECT
COASTLINE
The Event
Join us March 17-19, 2025, for the Kinetic Experiences luxury wedding professionals retreat at El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel in Santa Barbara, CA. Nestled in the lush, verdant hills overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this retreat provides a breathtaking opportunity to connect with industry leaders, sharpen your skills, and rekindle your enthusiasm for the wedding industry. Attendees will find themselves immersed in an environment of luxury, surrounded by spectacular ocean views and tranquil gardens that stimulate creativity and connection.
We are thrilled to partner with Kaleb Norman James Design as our Creative Director, alongside a host of influential and innovative guest speakers. The retreat will feature intimate sessions (allowing for one-on-one conversations with our speakers) that encourage personal interaction with speakers, as well as grand, luxury event experiences that promise to be unforgettable.
Sponsored by
HOST LOCATION
Raise a toast to Californian chic at our Santa Barbara hideaway, In our verdant grounds and fertile landscape, trade the stress of city life for balmy air and azure ocean views. Sample the finest local ingredients and Californian wines, best paired with deep blue skies and radiant golden sunsets. With luxurious privacy among elegant bungalows and cottages, follow in the footsteps of the Hollywood elite for a taste of uninterrupted serenity.
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Kaleb Norman James
Design Partner
Kaleb Norman James is a Seattle native who began his career in floral design. When he realized he was designing beautiful events that lacked logistical direction, he took his background in corporate event planning and combined with his love of floral and design to create a full service event planning & design firm. Since its inception in 2014, Kaleb has planned weddings across the world from Italy, to France, Costa Rica to the Caribbean. Rooted in a love of travel, architecture and fashion, his designs have a strong European influence and forever find their roots in a classic, Ralph Lauren inspired aesthetic. These passions have all greatly influenced his approach to developing his signature aesthetic- combining old world grandeur, with a finely edited sense of restraint.
About Kaleb's Talk
Kaleb's Website
Your Authentic Brand: The Art of Graceful Manipulation
There's no stronger means of marketing yourself than creating a strong brand image, one that creates a signature aesthetic that people see and instantly know who it is. Whether it's your use of light, unique sense of color, a strong fashion voice or an undeniable personal flair, it's the brands that set themselves apart that rise to the top. Join me as I walk you through the process of how we've established our signature brand voice that is not reliant on a client or a venue. Learn how we guide our clients to become KNJ brand ambassadors without them ever realizing it.
Read Kaleb's Bio
Kaleb's Website
Speakers
Who We'Ll Hear
John Dolan
John Dolan Photographer
John Dolan is a photographer and author based in New York and The Berkshires. An expanded 2nd Edition of his book, The Perfect Imperfect was published in 2024 by Damiani Editions. He has woven a career of advertising, editorial and fine art photography over the past 30 years. He has been a leader in a revitalization of contemporary wedding photography.
His clients include Naomi Biden, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anna Sophia Robb, Jerry Seinfeld and many other cultural figures. His work has been widely published in magazines and advertisements.
About John's Talk
Raise Your Hand If You Are a People Pleaser
Let’s consider the possibility that there is someone more important to please than the client or the planner. We, the vendors, actually may have higher standards for our work than those who are experiencing a wedding for the first time. Our expertise and confidence can be a huge asset when used in a loving way.
Read John's Bio
Claire Durán
Claire Durán Weddings and Events
Weddings were never part of the plan, but hear her out. Claire left the Dominican Republic in 2008 to pursue a master’s in international public policy at Stanford, followed by a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Her career in Latin American democracy and development included work with the World Bank and Brookings Institution.
Yet, she missed the creativity of her youth—ballet, piano, art. So, in 2014, Claire made a bold pivot, founding her namesake weddings and events company in Washington, D.C., blending technical rigor with artistic flair. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Brides, and Martha Stewart Weddings, but what truly makes her proud is promoting diversity and celebrating all love stories.
About Claire's Talk
Building a Global Wedding Brand: Navigating Non-Local Markets and Maintaining Consistency
As a wedding professional, you are not only contributing your parts to the making of memorable events — you're building a brand that must be adaptable, resilient, and consistent, no matter where you are in the world. In my session, we'll dive into the critical strategies for building a solid brand foundation that can grow and thrive across multiple countries and cultures. From navigating diverse vendor networks to understanding varying cultural expectations, learn how to maintain the highest standards of service and deliver an exceptional experience for every couple, no matter where their dream wedding takes place.
Read Claire's Bio
Michelle Norwood
Michelle Norwood Events
Known for her tenacious spirit and warm personality, Michelle Norwood is a sought-after destination wedding planner based in New Orleans. Her bespoke planning and design approach is to start with her clients–to uncover their unique stories and backgrounds and let their stories inspire the celebration. When she’s not planning and designing signature spaces, she’s trying out new natural beauty regimens (her clients swear by) and traveling the world.
About Michelle's Talk
Now That You're Making Money, Let's Secure Your Future
For established, financially successful event professionals ready to secure their future, Michelle Norwood guides you through steps for long-term growth and stability. Leverage your success to unlock opportunities, diversify income streams, and ensure prosperity.
We’ll explore strategies like creating spin-off brands, high-growth investments, and passive income to sustain wealth and prepare for business transitions. Build a sustainable model that supports your lifestyle and legacy.
Whether aiming to grow wealth, future-proof your business, or build a safety net, I offer actionable advice and proven strategies to maximize earnings and secure a thriving future. Let’s make it happen!
Read Michelle's Bio
Lance Nicoll
Lance Nicoll Photography
As a wedding photographer, Lance’s approach is informed by his time in editorial photography and his fine-art background. With over a decade in weddings Lance’s work aims to push past the seen and showcases how each wedding and moment were truly experienced. In addition, Lance has taught photography at the college level for the past 15 years, had the opportunity to speak at wedding industry events, and written over 100 published educational articles. His work has been seen in print in Brides Magazine, Martha Stewart Weddings, Carats & Cake, Over The Moon, Equally Wed, Brides UK Magazine, Invited Magazine, The Knot, Magnolia Rouge Magazine, The New York Times, and Adorn Magazine.
About Lance's Talk
Complacency, Balance, & Evolving
It can be very easy for the lines and roles between personal and professional to become blurred when working in a creative field and especially when your brand and your name are one in-the-same. How can we build space in our life to separate the two, building clear grounding spaces and roles, while also avoiding complacency. We will also have an open conversation about what it means to evolve versus up-level why up is not always the best way to go. Our conversation will conclude with the importance and ways we can re-introduce ourselves and our evolving work, and the challenge of being re-indexed by our market and clients.
Read Lance's Bio
Taylor Petrinovich & Kelley Gilster
The Level Up Co.
With over 22 years of combined experience in the wedding industry, Taylor & Kelley are wedding cinematographers and business coaches who specialize in helping photographers and filmmakers elevate their businesses from mainstream to luxury. Through their popular podcast and exclusive Mastermind program, they have helped thousands of creatives scale their businesses, refine their craft, and achieve long-term success in the competitive wedding market.
About Taylor & Kelley's Talk
How to Identify When You Have Outgrown Your Current Market
Feel like you’ve hit a ceiling in your business, but aren’t sure how to break through? In this session, we’ll uncover the critical signs that you’ve outgrown your current market and are ready for growth. From shifts in client expectations to changes in competition and pricing, we’ll explore how to identify when it's time to evolve your strategy and position yourself for growth to the next level.
Read Talyor & Kelley's Bio
Daria Neretina & Alina Krupenina
Wed Vibes
With over 24 years of combined experience in luxury wedding planning and marketing, Daria and Alina are the co-founders of Wed Vibes—an innovative platform dedicated to helping wedding professionals thrive in the competitive luxury market. Daria leverages her 9+ years of experience planning high-end European weddings, while Alina draws on 15+ years as a marketing executive, having led nationwide campaigns for global brands such as Nutella and Ferrero Rocher. Together, they equip creatives with the strategies, tools, and insights needed to elevate their businesses, refine their craft, and achieve lasting success in the ever-evolving wedding industry.
About Daria & Alina's Talk
Chased by Luxury Clients
This session reveals the most common mistakes holding you back and provides actionable strategies to elevate your brand and book your dream weddings. Learn how to avoid costly errors, break into the destination market, cultivate a compelling personal brand, and curate a portfolio that attracts the right couples.
Read Daria & Alina's Bio
Kickoff & Networking
Connecting & Learning
Day 2 | Tuesday, March 18th
Explore & Experience
Day 3 | Wednesday, March 19th
Itinerary
What We'll Do
View General Itinerary
Day 1 | Monday, March 17th
Breakfast & 1:1 Session
8:00 AM
Day 3 Welcome
9:00 AM
Claire Duran – Building a Global Wedding Brand Navigating Cultural Diversity and Maintaining Consistency Across Borders
9:15 AM
Snowball
10:15 AM
Check-in and Mingling
3:30 PM
Opening Sessions
4:20 PM
Kaleb Norman James – Your Authentic Brand: The Art of Graceful Manipulation
4:35 PM
Visit Santa Barbara with Beth Olson
6:05 PM
Double Dolphin Lunch Cruise
10:45 AM
11:55 AM
Rest Break – Explore, Pool, or Spa
2:30 PM
Dinner
7:00 PM
Breakfast & 1:1 Sessions
8:00 AM
Day 2 Welome
9:15 AM
Taylor Petrinovich & Kelley Gilster – How to Identify When You Have Outgrowing Your Current Market
9:30 AM
Lance Nicoll – Complacency, Balance, and Evolving
10:30 AM
Michelle Norwood – Now That You're Making Money, Let's Secure Your Future
11:45 AM
1:00 PM
Lunch
2:30 PM
Room Fully Set for Media Team
4:30 PM
View General Itinerary
Wedvibes Daria Neretina and Alina Krupenina – Chased by Luxury Clients
5:35 PM
Connection Session
6:20 PM
Casual Dinner on The Terrace
6:45 PM
Rest – Explore, Pool, or Spa
Dinner
6:15 PM
Cocktail Hour
5:30 PM
Sombremesa – Firepits / Lobby Bar
AFTER
John Dolan – Raise Your Hand if You Are a People Pleaser
Cocktail Hour
6:00 PM
Sombremesa – Lobby Bar
AFTER
Join us in the late afternoon for our retreat check-in where you'll receive your event guide and name tag. This is your opportunity to mingle and meet fellow attendees, hosts, and speakers. The official opening session will commence with inspiring speeches from our guest host, creative director, and the host venue. Immerse yourself in a variety of engaging breakout sessions designed to spark meaningful connections and discussions. As the sun sets, unwind with cocktails and dinner, followed by some time to connect with everyone.
Kickoff & Networking
Day One
Rise and shine with a sumptuous breakfast before embarking on a day filled with enlightening speaker sessions in rotating groups, allowing you to interact closely with our speakers and your peers. Post-lunch, enjoy a unique experience before your rest period which offers an opportunity to rest, connect with fellow attendees, explore or snag a one-on-one session with one of our speakers. Evening brings another chance to relax and socialize over cocktails and dinner, setting the stage for a reflective evening.
Connecting & Learning
Day Two
Your last day with us begins with a lovely brunch, followed by creative sessions and a Q&A with our guest host to about the themes of our retreat. The afternoon's creative sessions with our main stage speakers offer one last deep dive into our content. After a brief rest, gather for one-on-one discussions that ensure you leave with every question answered. Our final evening together will be marked by a special cornerstone dinner where we’ll share closing remarks and heartfelt goodbyes.
Explore & Experience
Day Three
Itinerary
What We'll Do
View Detailed Itinerary
View Detailed Itinerary
- All meals during the program: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 3 dinners
- All Education sessions
- All Connection sessions
- All Experiences unless otherwise noted
- Cornerstone Celebration
$4,900
Registration
What's Included
The concept for this design came from a sense of juxtaposition of the old world and overgrown with a contrasting sense of intentionality and clean lines. It's a study of classic ornate design with a strong sense of edit and restraint. We'll put great focus on texture, with lush, overgrown greenery, contrasted with modern touches in the furniture, stationery and vessels used throughout.
Moodboard
Our event concept
Questions?
How can I attend a Kinetic Experience?
All of our events are by invitation. We use a pay-it-forward system where hosts and partners nominate attendees, who can then nominate others. Speak to your colleagues about Kinetic Experiences, and an invitation will often find you! Be sure to register for our email list to stay in the know about upcoming and past events.
What is included in my registration?
Your registration covers all meals, programming, and group experiences listed in the event schedule. Some events offer opportunities to enhance your experience with one-on-one sessions, additional activities, or add-on programs. Travel and accommodations are not included unless noted.
When do attendees find out event specific details?
After registration, attendees will receive a link to our regularly-updated event hub, whcih will house information like expected local weather, experience details, event themes, wardrobe inspiration, and a full event itinerary.
How many people attend Kinetic Experiences?
Our events are intimate, designed to maximize opportunities for connection and relationship development. While the group size varies based on the host location, we typically have 50-75 attendees, ensuring a close-knit and engaging experience.
How can I find out about future Kinetic Experiences?
You can join our email list and follow our instagram to be the first to know about our next locations and Save the Date announcements.
Is there a limit to the number invited from a specific vendor category?
Yes, we cap the number of attendees in each vendor category to ensure a diverse mix of professionals, which creates a truly magical experience. By limiting numbers in each category, we foster an environment where everyone can learn from each other's roles and grow together.
Can I apply to be on the vendor team for an Experience?
We'd love to have you join us! We accept applications for Creative Partners and the Photo/Video Team on a rolling basis. Please visit our "How to Get Involved" section to submit your application.
Can I apply to speak or present at an Experience?
Absolutely. We're always on the lookout for industry thought leaders who have something they're passionate about sharing with our attendees. We accept applications for Speakers on a rolling basis. Please visit our "How to Get Involved" section to submit your application.
Any other questions?
If your question wasn't answered above, please feel free to drop us a line.
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